#besides she has lilya

[sleeplesssmoll]

GOT IT THIS TIME! Druvis gave Vertin acorns. I love how Druvis is always related with protection in the game. She is Mama Bear. Forget-me-not? Pfft, she has children to take care of now. She don't need a man who also hurt one of her babies (Vertin).

[socoolinmypajamas]

Mesmer Jr. spent 4 and a half weeks taking care of Vertin while she was in a coma. Sure, it was her duty, but an interesting thing is how most of the times we see her in that chapter she's just... Sitting there. Besides her.

Considering how stressful has to be dealing with patients with severe mental issues, taking care of Vertin must've been such a welcome change of peace.

But also... That's her friend. She expressed several times that, despite everything, she still appreciates and holds her in (at least) above average regards. Considering her role in the incident at the end of chapter 3, as well as the current state of her mental health (thanks Constantine), being there for the one friend who survived was probably... quite cathartic, I guess?

Her reaction when Lilya broke through the glass is pretty understandable: It must've triggered several things at the same time to seen a safe space burst like that.

I hope we get to see Mesmer Jr. getting the help or at least the confort she needs.

[flaskbottomfrog]

Kinda stupid Lilya crack theory:

If Lilya’s medium is vodka, what if she doesn’t just drink that much out of alcoholism, but is also fuelling/enhancing her arcane skill with it?

Cuz think about it though. Yes she’s still able to get drunk, but it doesn’t seem to hinder her ability to do things related to her arcane abilities (it isn’t super clear what her arcane skill is, but I’m going off of her incantations).

Towards the end of chapter three (where we got to experience the glory that is absolutely wasted smolilya), girl managed to perfectly locate the specific underground area where the escaping kids were, and had a whole ass boss battle with them (though I suppose being drunk doesn’t make that impossible). But like, girl could cast the dazed status, WHICH SHE CANT DO THAT NORMALLY! They had to full on paralyze her in order to win (story wise), which I feel like says a lot on how strong the little gremlin was supposed to be, if it weren’t for that scene being converted into gameplay.

Another thing that I might be over-analyzing is the little drinking animation Lilya has during longer battles like Mane’s Bulletin ones. I’m still not super sure on what exactly triggers that animation, but I’ve seen it many times, and only in the lengthier, harder boss battles (if any of you know, then pls educate me). My best guess is that it’s similar to Centurion’s “Hot Sauce Expert” animation, I’m still unclear on what it means gameplay wise. But that’s all besides the point. If we were to think about that little animation in a story perspective, yes she could just be casually taking a sip during a long, hard battle (pretty normal thing to do), but what if there’s more to it? What if it’s the vodka’s strengthening abilities (for her) wearing off from the exertion, so she’s replenishing it? Right? Normal, little battles like the resource farming ones and whatnot don’t require as much energy, so she doesn’t need to do it.

Perhaps this source of arcane power enhancement was the thing that formed Lilya’s alcoholism in the first place. It’s possible. It would also make the sheer size of her flask make much more sense when it isn’t just for alcoholic reasons. I mean have you SEEN how THICK and WIDE that thing is? It’s built like a fckin brick.

Anywho, just a weird thought to think about

[stari-hun]

The Atlas : Scrapbook

The tone of the captions within the Atlas imply that narrator for them has a level of omniscience the newest one doesn’t have (1.4 patch and onwards).

[In Our Time], “The apostles got closer without making a sound. The apostles of heaven roared as the light shone through the hole. Many saw me off. It's time to make a choice.”

The text shows dialogue similar to a persons thought process, it's not similar to anyone who's present in the scene besides Druvis iii herself, but it is something she could've thought at another time. The CG here illustrates as Druvis iii fights our main characters. But it also shows the possible common thread/theme for reaching Insight 2. My theory is that Insight 2 is the peak of a character's power and introspection into themselves. In this scene she shows a Manus version of her Insight 2 outfit when she had chosen her path in life out of bitterness towards humans, and to go back in the Storm with the Manus. In 2.6 after seeing the Rowan twig still had a will to continue on underneath it's charring, Druvis iii decided to do the same and join Vertin to stop the Storm. This also shows the nature of people within the Manus as a whole as well, and how they can be people who started off friendly to arcanists then becoming a danger to them when they don't align to their own views.

[Tender Is the Night] shows the caption “What are these to those humans? I'm sure I'm not the only one who's curious.” It connects the conversation between Vertin and the Manus while directly relates to the scene happening at Sotheby’s house. It’s a nod to the [Player], directly addressing us as they mention Manus isn’t the only one curious about what humans truly value.

[Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien], “This is not even a punishment for her.”

The starting scene in Book 3, [Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien], shows Vertin's attitude and personality as a child. The entire book shows the reader and audience how she was apathetic towards authority, and unlike her peers (Matilda, Mesmer Jr, and most importantly, Sonetto) she didn't follow authority without reason. She follows Madam Z and Tooth Fairy because they helped her, and we see Tooth Fairy allude to on many occasions how she became a close adult figure to Vertin. Alongside Madam Z, they were the guiding forces in her childhood while teaching her how to be a functional person. We learn the most about Vertin's personality in this book, and in the opening scene as the first thing the book decides to show us about her is that silent isolation time isn't a punishment to her.

[El Oro de los Tigres], “Through the flourishing vines and leaves, people finally remember where she comes from.”

This is where we first see Druvis iii's insight 2 form after her leaving the Manus and her decision to live for the future. The text references Druvis's own dialogue and the manner she speaks in, but also references how Constantine talked about Vertin's group of refugee arcanists. Referencing how Constantine had referred to them as unenlightened and unrestrained arcanists behind her back before Druvis and the others proved how "unstable" arcanists truly are. Lilya also showed this nature in the chapter as she broke Vertin out of Laplace, notably as Mesmer Jr had a panic attack from the outburst of violence, the caption from [The Atlas] shows how arcanists are liberated by the use of their power.

Book 5, [The Prisoner in the Cave] captions “Cast off your shell, enter the silence. The answer you seek is within reach.”

The caption from [The Atlas] here mentions the answer Vertin seeks is within her reach, but not the truth. The answer to why the island was shrouded in mystery as well as the mysterious rules being enforced by arcane creatures, but not the truth behind the Storm.

[madelineswrld09]

bubblegum and gasoline- bill kaulitz

synopsis- Rumi, a 20 year old russian girl, lives in germany in a highrise apartment in the center of berlin. one night she visits berlin's most famous race track.

warnings- underage drinking, smoking, swearing (will be smut, etc is other parts of story.)

A/N- comment if i should post another part :) this is set during bills 2009-2012 eras you pick

part 1- off to the races

I woke up to the sound of cars swerving through the autobahn. it was about 5 in the afternoon and i had just woken up from a nap. my brunette hair was messy and my bangs were greasy. i still smelled of a cheap perfume from last night's outing. my friend lilya had stayed over, and was sprawled out on the floor of my cold apartment. i tapped on lilya's shoulder in an attempt to wake her. " u up?" i ask. "sure" she woke up and stretched her arms. we both looked sickly and had dark purple circles under our eyes because we were hung over. 

lilya had invited me to go to the racetrack with her boyfriend and some friends. i get a trill out watching the cars speed past me, the whole experience gets me going. 

i reluctantly get up to shower. i enter my bathroom, "jeez" i whisper under my breath. i look like shit. i turn the water on and step into my shower. 

after my shower i dry my hair and put on a beige cargo skirt and a brown leather jacket. lilya helps me put a small braids on each side of my hair. for shoes i lace up my adidas campuses. lilya doesn't even bother to take off her makeup from last night, she just touches it up. she wears a pair of ripped jean shorts, levi 501s to be specific and a leather racing jacket. her blond hair compliments her olive skin. i spray on my cherry perfume and pop a piece of bubblegum in my mouth and in my leather bag i put a lighter, some cigarettes, perfume, my flip phone, and pack of original bubblegum. 

"so what's the racetrack we're going to again? and how are we getting there?" i ask lilya. "well it's called adria international raceway, aka AIR. it's super cool, most famous people and high status nascar drivers go there. my boyfriend matteo and his friends are picking us up in a bit. "sounds good." i say. my hangover is still pretty bad but i can't resist a night out. me and lilya smoke a cigarettes outside my apartment while we wait for matteo to come and get us. it's about 6:00 now, and 90 degrees. matteo speeds onto the side of the rode and we hop in his ferrari. he is accompanied by me and lilya's friends Katelyn, Katrina, francie, Lukas, and adrian. i sit on katrina's lap since it's crowded. 

as we speed through the autobahn, crystal castles blasts on the speakers and my hair is caught in the wind. i soak in this euphoric feeling. we pull into the race track and find a spot on the bleachers close to the racetrack. Matteo has friends that race so we get good spots. i sit on right of Katrina and lilya. 20 minutes has past. over the speaker, the race caller anounces, "willkommen to adria international racetrack. he is calls out all the racers as they line up. 1..2..3.. go! the race caller announces over the loud speaker. i pop the bubblegum in my mouth as i watch the cars speed past me. the wind catches my hair. i smell of gasoline, bubblegum, and cherry. 

a hour has past since the race started. lilya and katrina went off to get some food and talk to the hot racer guys on the side lines. i stay and stand up to flim on my disposable camera. my brunette bangs blow in the wind and i can see my skin start to tan. i blow the bubblegum in my mouth. to my right, a man with black hair and eyeliner stands  beside me. i turn my head, while still blowing my gum. he had a perfect side profile, and smelled of a sultry vanilla and gasoline. "im bill" he says. his eyes on the racetrack. "rumi" i reply. "first time here?" he asks. "first time at AIR." but not my first time at the races. i say. i turn my camera off to stop filming and put it in my bag. he turns his head to look at me. "nice jacket you have on" he complimentes me. "thanks, i like your outfit. i say." his eyes are a dark brown, his skin is pale. he's wearing jeans and a leather jacket. he smiles back at the compliment. "who u here with?" he asks. "some of my friends. i point to matteo, francie, luka and adrian who are passing a bottle of vodka around. my other friends lilya, katrina and katelyn went to get food. 

bills pov

she smells of bubblegum, cherry and gasoline. it attracts me, a feeling of euphoria rises against me as her scent blows in the wind. her brunette hair and wispy bangs flow through the wind. my brother tom and band mates gustav and georg are flirting with the girls over on the far middle of the bleachers. i pull out a cigarette and take a puff. "my brother n band mates are over there" i say. "band mates?" she asks. "yeah, heard of tokio hotel?" 

rumis pov

holy shit. i'm so hungover i didn't even realize i was talking to THE bill kaulitz from tokio hotel. i act calm and try to pretend i don't really know him. "shit, yeah ive heard of you guys, i love your music!" i say trying not to freak out. "thanks, he says warmly blowing out his cigarette smoke. 

lilya, katrina, and katelyn come back. when they see that i'm with bill, they siltenly try not to freak out. "bill, this is lilya, kat, and katelyn, i indrodude them. "yes, we know who you are, kat laughs." bill smiles. "nice to meet you girls." the girls and the rest of my friends stand by me and bill getting drunk off of vodka. "wanna meet my brother tom and my band mates?" bill suggests. "yeah sure!" i reply. we walk on the side line to where they are. i watch bills side profile as he walks. something about him just gets me going. 

[evilisk]

Insightful Aid Tier List V2 (Low Rarity)

Decided to revise my Tier List for Reverse 1999's Roguelike Mode (A Series of Dusks) specifically when you're playing the Insightful Aid Catalyst. I have decided to do two lists, one for low rarity characters, the other for high rarity characters.

Explanations (AKA a very long wall of text) below:

Busted:

La Source: I don't want to re-explain myself too much but tl;dr she has the best Ult for blocking enemy Ults. It's better than Control since most of the Roguelike bosses have full or partial Control Immunity, while only one boss (the alternate final boss) is actually immune to Moxie reduction (even then, only during its second phase). It's really busted on this Catalyst since Insightful Aid lets you spawn any of your party member's Ults for only 10 Stamina.

Strong Ult

Bunny Bunny: Her Incantations are mediocre but her Ult is still pretty unique for its Mass Heal + Purify effect (almost all the other 5* and 6* healers provide one effect or the other but not both). It's even more handy if you're a new account and don't have those top tier healers yet.

Good Ult, Strong Incantation

Twins Sleep: They have two really good Incantations that steal the thunder from other low rarity characters. They have the option of a Mental DEF Debuff (like Poltergeist) or a Critical DEF Debuff (like Erick). The Critical DEF debuff is honestly more valuable, it's as strong as Isolde's Crit debuff while also inflicting Weakness on all enemies. Twins Sleep also have a decent enough Ult. Not unique (Diggers and Baby Blue with debuffs can also inflict Nightmare) but it does give her an advantage over her low rarity contemporaries (who cannot use their Ults to block enemy turns)

ONiON / Leilani: I mentioned this in the earlier tier list, but these two (and Rabies) have the strongest Rank 3 Attack Incantations of any low rarity. At P5, they hit for 450% base damage + 160% if the target is debuffed in any way (making sure the enemy is debuffed first isn't super hard on this mode). That formula adds up to a 610% damage attack. Some low rarity characters can do 600% damage... with their Ults (Pavia, Twins Sleep, Erick, Mondlicht). Not only does the Insightful Aid Catalyst lets you cheat out these Rank 3 Incantations for only a bit of Stamina, but it also powers them up. Shamane or Six + Aid ONiON / Leilani is a legitimate strategy that will win you runs, just make sure you don't run out of Stamina (this isn't hard to do btw, with Insightful Aid you get refunded Stamina back if you kill enemies with Aid Incantations. Yes, this Catalyst rewards you for spamming these OP Rank 3 Incantations).

ONiON and Leilani are basically interchangeable here, the only difference is their Ults. ONiON can grant 2 stacks of Sturdiness while Leilani can grant 2 Moxie to allies. Leilani seems stronger overall but if you luck into certain Moxie increasing artefacts, like the Morale Pipe, then ONiON's Ult will have more utility.

Eagle: Another character with a pretty strong Rank 3 Attack. At Rank 3, her 1-target attack hits for 450% + 100% damage if debuffed. It's "only" 550% damage but it has a built in leech effect, meaning it's a 550% damage attack that can bring the caster back to full HP. Her Ult is pretty unique, it comes with a built in "excess Critical rate converted to Critical damage" and some characters can take advantage of this (Lilya, Blonney). This does require you to pick up certain artefacts that give Lucky though.

Decent Ult Or Incantation

AliEn T: I had them higher on my previous list but bumped them down. On paper they're quite nice. Two good Incantations (an Attack as strong as Eagle's, though without the leech effect, and a Counter with -60% Damage reduction and built in Taunt that Kakania and NewBabel will love). Their Ult can also block all non-Ult actions from enemies for a turn. The problem is that, besides their Counter (which is ultimately pretty niche), you may have better options. ONiON and Leilani are still the best Rank 3 Aid Attackers and Baby Blue has a similar Ult but she can also block enemy Ults. If you don't have Baby Blue, though, you may get some use out of AliEn T.

Darley: Between them and Apple (AKA the two low rarity characters that can heal after using their attack) I think Darley is the clear winner due to their Ult, which gives extra Moxie to all party members. Darley, however ranks much lower than Leilani who has a similar Ult, since they don't have an OP Rank 3 Attack to spam like she does.

Zima: La Source is better for blocking Ults in most situations but if your La Source isn't P5 yet, and you don't have other high rarity Ult blockers, Zima can be an okay alternate option. This is only if you have a really new account though.

Pavia: He's in a similar situation to ONiON and Leilani but for Mass Attacks instead of 1-target attacks. His high HP Rank 3 attacks hits for 300% + 155% damage. This outperforms a bunch of higher rarity characters (at P0, though even P5 Bkornblume's Mass Attack loses to P5 Pavia). The reason Pavia isn't as high as the others is because 455% isn't as huge as 610% damage. His Ult is also extremely mediocre. I would rather cop the slightly lower damage on Bkornblume's Mass Attack for Bkornblume's significantly better Ult vs. Pavia's bland Ult that only does damage.

Cristallo: The only reason she's here is for her Debuff. It's very easy for her to land her -40% Reality DEF with this Catalyst. Her other Incantation also exists. It's not the best buff but it is 1 stack of Sturdiness to all characters and not everyone has Medicine Pocket or Voyager on their accounts.

Niche

Poltergeist: Like I said before, Twins Sleep basically steals the one good thing about this character (the Mental DEF debuff). Her other Attack isn't worth mentioning. Her Ult is super niche. It does let her Taunt and avoid enemy attacks, but the dodge only works vs Reality (so you need to know the enemy damage type in advance). The only use I can think for her is if you need the Mental Debuff, but also need TS' Crit Debuff. Even then, you might have Baby Blue as an alternate Mental DEF Debuff option.

TTT: Basically the low rarity, low budget version of X. She can also Dispel and can also control when enemies use their Ults. The big difference is that TTT has to inflict Disconcert early, no blocking enemy Ults on the turn they're about to be used like with X. Very mediocre CC overall but if you don't have X or Baby Blue, she may be better than nothing.

Erick: Like I said before, Twins Sleep basically steals the one good thing about this character (the Crit DEF debuff). There is one silver lining to Erick, her Ult isn't too shabby on the Razor fight. It can remove Razor's buffs AND Disarm him, preventing him from using an Attack for a turn. It's not the best option but it is an option if you don't have specific characters (like Charlie).

Oliver Fog: Pretty similar to Cristallo except he doesn't have a useful debuff. He has a slightly better Ult than Cristallo, but you shouldn't be bringing Cristallo for her (awful) Ult anyway.

John Titor: She's similar to AliEn T. Nice skills on paper, but usually outdone by stronger options (Yenisei for the Shield + Purify Ult, ONiON and Leilani for the Rank 3 Attack). Not bad if you don't have Yenisei, though I do think Semmelweis + Aid John Titor is a fun combo if you run the self-Buff / Heal.

Ms. Moissan: Can be used if you don't have any Shielders at all (like Tennant, Ms. NewBabel or Ezra). She also has a CC Ult that's basically the reverse of Satsuki and Druvis' Petrify effect. Is fine at the start of the run, but I think you would be better looking for some auto-shield artefacts. The best recommendation, especially for Insightful Aid, is Rabbit Marionette. It gives a free shield after every turn if you use an Aid Incantation, it also increases the Max Stamina limit.

Mondlicht: Unlike the others in this tier, she really doesn't have much going for her, but I didn't think she was as niche as the characters below her. She's basically a worse Pavia in terms of Incantations. I guess her Ult gives her a mini-Eternity Ult effect? That's about it.

Apple: Another "not niche OR really niche" character. I guess you can spam his attacks for free Healing and this may be an okay strategy if you're running Kakania on your party. Would not really recommend in most other situations though, Darley has the same gimmick but with a better Ult.

Really Niche (aka they have obscure combos, but would not recommend in most situations)

Sputnik: Has an interesting combo with NewBabel since you can combine NewBabel's Ult with Sputnik's Counter to infinitely drain enemy Moxie while also maxing out NewBabel's Moxie. The problem is that this isn't really a win condition for your party, it's just a way to stall out the fight. Also has a combo with Kakania + the artefact that turns Slot 1 into a Taunt tank.

Nick Bottom: Has shenanigans with Kakania and Semmelweis due to the HP drain but is really obscure otherwise.

Ms. Radio and Door: The self-killing Ults are obviously a bad idea. There are ways to avoid the kill condition, with either artefacts or Necrologist, but similar to Sputnik, this doesn't get you closer to winning fights, you're better off actually using your Ults to target enemies than for pure support.

Bette: She's not as niche as you'd think, since Insightful Aid makes it easy to cheat out Rank 3 Aid Incantations but doesn't really let you upgrade the Incantations of your front characters. Her Ult can help with this, though the reason Bette isn't higher is because the final area and boss completely screws with her Ult's effect (your Incantations get shuffled around every turn, and Bette needs two turns for her Empower to work. RIP Bette).

The Fool: The most redundant character in this mode. Several artefacts have the ability to inflict Corrode without you using the Fool at all (e.g. Piglet Chain, Everheart). You might think "well I can use the Fool to stack Corrode" except I tested it and only 1 instance of Corrode can exist per enemy. Yes, there is no reason to ever actually bring the Fool if you have any of the Corrode inflicting artefacts.

Mesmer Jr: She technically has Dispel + CC on her Ults but you need to be spamming Mesmer's Ult every turn for the CC to work on every enemy. You can technically run Marcus + Aid Mesmer but there are also much easier ways to Mass CC, including running An-an Lee, Satsuki or Druvis as Aid and spamming their Rank 3 Debuffs, or just using Baby Blue's Ult.

Kit Not Working Properly

Rabies: So Rabies' deal is that he inflicts Poison right? The problem is that the Poison comes from his Insight effect. And Aid characters don't get to use their Insight effect. Which means that Rabies, the Poison Guy, doesn't inflict any Poison at all if he's an Aid character. Oops. Rabies isn't completely unusable, he actually has the same 610% damage formula as Leilani and ONiON. But he has a much worse Ult (with worse damage because the Ult is balanced around the Poison that no longer works). You can just NOT use Rabies' Ult of course, but I'm putting him here so people know that you can't bring him for Poison shenanigans. Unless you're running Rabies + Aid Lilya or Lucy. But this is an "Insightful Aid" Tier List, not an "Obscure Low Rarity + High Rarity Combo" List (I'm not gonna do that btw, too many potential combos to talk about).

Note: There are actually a whole bunch of low rarities that are affected by the "No Insight" thing, Rabies is just the most notable since a lot of low rarity characters' Incantations aren't affected by the lack of Insights. This is much more of a problem with the higher rarity characters though...

= = =

Whew, that's finally done. Not sure when the high rarity version of this list will be done. That one is a lot harder to judge, mostly because I don't have ALL the high rarities to play around with, meaning I can't play some of the more obscure combos.

Cannot stress enough how many weird interactions you get when running High Rarity + High Rarity Aid. Did you know that you can use Getian's Rank 3 Channel to instantly use Thirty Seven's FUA? There's lots of weird stuff that I can't test since I can only borrow 1 character from another player at a time.

[schneiderenjoyer]

I've been meaning to ask this before but I completely forgot until now. Do the arcanists in the suitcase (besides the main gang) know that TWTR Schneider is human?

Only a select number are aware of TWTR Schneider's biological origin! (at least in terms of her willingly disclosing it. Most of them found out against her will) It's kept confidential by the Foundation and Laplace as it could cause a huge scandal and uproar since, well...they technically they committed human experimentation, ahah.

Just for fun, here's a list of confirmed characters that knows that Schneider is human! Hiding it under the break for those that wanna keep themselves unspoiled about it as it includes future characters and vague details about events beyond current TWTR chapters (there are 17 rn) I'll list it in order of who found out first! (the order could be changed tho)

Tooth Fairy (For her first and only check up by a doctor. She's later assigned to be Schneider's "personal doctor" when dealing with medical emergencies involving her)

Constantine, Madam Z, Lucy, & Top Laplace researchers (pretty simultaneous upon receiving Tooth Fairy's medical report on Schneider)

Vertin (From Schneider)

Faustee (By accident)

Medicine Pocket (Assigned to conduct the "research" on Schneider which she consented to disclosing the information for)

Mesmer Jr. (By accident)

Arcana (Through shady means, of course)

Forget Me Not & Druvis (through Arcana outing her)

Sonetto, Regulus, APPLe, Sotheby, and X (from THAT scene)

Matilda (She has always assumed for years, but never confronts Schneider about it. She was almost told about it by someone else, but stops them from saying it. It's Schneider's secret to keep and if she's not going to tell her, then she will not hear it from anyone.)

Blonney (From Schneider. I place the Greenlake event after the 1929 Storm but before they go to Apeiron)

6 & 37, by extension, the whole of Apeiron + Lilya (Weird soul numbers type of thing. Lilya, like Matilda, always got the feeling, but didn't get a confirmation until that moment)

And that's about it so far! Looking at the list, only 3 people ever honestly got told about it with Schneider's consent. (Tooth Fairy and Madam Z are exceptions since they were informed before it was even a big deal to keep Schneider's origin a secret. But if it were a situation where they didn't know, Schneider would've willingly told them about it.)

[puppyluver256]

[Image Description: Three characters resembling younger feminine versions of three different characters deemed “Tumblr Sexymen”, from left to right based on Dr. Habit from Smile For Me, Ingo from Pokemon Black and White/Pokemon Legends Arceus, and Troupe Master Grimm from Hollow Knight.

The first character is a teenage girl loosely resembling Dr. Habit from Smile For Me. She has green skin, long curly red hair in a ponytail, and red eyes with orange sclera. She is wearing a blue coat with turquoise accents and a pink flowery collar, a turquoise belt with a silver buckle, a small dark blue hat, a yellow lily flower in her hair, dark blue tights, and blue high-heeled boots with turquoise accents. She is smiling, revealing a missing tooth. The text on the image is transcribed as a bulleted list after the “keep reading” break, along with a paragraph that is not featured in the image.

The second character is a teenage girl loosely resembling Ingo from both Pokemon Black and White and Pokemon Legends Arceus. She has light skin, short silver hair, and silver eyes. She is wearing a lavender sweater with the circular Pearl Clan insignia on the front, a grey conductor’s hat with a blue and white circular logo on the front, a grey jacket with brown stripes and silver accents resembling train tracks, a brown skirt with silver accents to match the train track design elements of the jacket, lavender leggings, lavender socks, and brown shoes with silver soles. Beside her is a Litwick, a small candle-like ghost Pokemon. It has a white waxy body, a blue flame on top of its head, and green eyes partially hidden by dripping wax resembling “emo” bangs. The text on the image is transcribed as a bulleted list after the “keep reading” break, along with a paragraph that is not featured in the image.

The third character is a teenager resembling a humanoid version of the Grimmchild from Hollow Knight. They have pale grey skin, long red nails, light red eyes with black sclera, and short black hair styled to resemble horns. They are wearing a red sleeveless puffy jacket-style top, a short black cape, a black ribbon accessory that trails down their back, black shorts with black leggings, and black slip-on shoes. On the collar of their cape is a pin resembling the final state of the Grimmchild charm. The text on the image is transcribed as a bulleted list after the “keep reading” break, along with a paragraph that is not featured in the image.

End ID.]

---

okay guys i caved and joined in the sexyman descendants trend despite having never payed attention to the sexyman trend overall, i literally only know that two of the guys these kids are based on were on the poll and grimm has a sexypedia page that i only checked to confirm its mere existence and that + “fashion doll line” was all i was working on, yes i know other people have at least done kids based on habit and grimm but in my defense this has been sitting in my drafts for a while okay i was nervous and also too lazy to write up the text under the readmore for the longest time leave me alone /j

Lilya Habit (she/her), daughter of Dr. Boris Habit

always trying to make people smile

loves flowers and puppets, has a lookalike one called “Miss Habby”

has a passing interest in dentistry from other dad

big sis to Putunia

lost tooth in a model train incident

Of course I had to do one based on the teeth man, even if he apparently didn’t do nearly as well in the tournament as he did in last year’s and losing to someone who shouldn’t be considered a sexy-man at that, Nagito is a minor so if he has to be included it should be as a sexy-boy for the teens to latch onto, but I digress hehe. I realize I coulda gone with a Carla for this, but the joke is kinda to make these kids resemble their sexyman dads, so she’s Lilya instead! Even with a biological daughter in this weird universe I figured Boris and Kamal would still adopt Putunia, and she is the best big sister to the little hero, even if it leads to some punched shins sometimes. ...man, I realized I missed a fun opportunity there in not also drawing Miss Habby XD

Stacey Anville (she/her), daughter of Subway Boss/Warden Ingo

always seems bored

not nearly as loud as her dad and uncle

loves trains just as much tho

loves battling too

feels bad for Lilya’s tooth despite it being an accident

shiny Litwick was bred from Ingo’s Chandelure

Ingo wears black, Emmet wears white, so of course I’d go for grey for Ingo’s kid. Originally I was gonna name her “Donna” as in “downline”, but then I figured “Stacey” would be a better neutral-ish train pun hehe. And of course “Anville” comes from Anville Town, idk what sort of pun that is but iirc that’s one of the places connected to the trains hehe. As for her design, I wanted the outfit to combine both of Ingo’s “homes” so to speak, his original home of Unova and his new home of Hisui. And, of course, the daughter of one of the strongest trainers in both Unova and Hisui is going to have Pokemon of her own, hence the Litwick! I mostly picked Litwick because I like Chandelure most out of Ingo’s team, and because it could cause some silly shenanigans with the third descendent I’m sharing.

Nikki Grimm (they/them), child of Troupe Master Grimm

troublemaker

loves scaring people

sometimes can’t tell when they might be going overboard

tried to eat the flame on Stacey’s Litwick once

very acrobatic

caused Lilya’s “train incident” by sneaking up on Stacey at a bad moment

will hiss at people they don’t like

If you were thinking that this was basically just the Grimmchild (even without reading that image description up there), you’d be right! I figured if anyone was gonna make one of these based on Grimm, that’d be the best direction to go in since he already has a kid of sorts. The fandom generally refers to the Grimmchild as they/them or it/its, right? Someone please, correct me if I’m wrong, I haven’t been able to access the meat of the Grimm Troupe dlc yet in my own playthrough due to not having knowing I didn’t have to have the dream nail powered up enough quite yet. I mean, I might, but I haven’t gone back to the Resting Grounds since I got more essence in order to check. (see if you can guess why I named them “Nikki”, you guys are smart so you’ve got a real good shot at piecing my punnage together ;3 )

Soooo...yeah, that’s my offering to this nonsense, idk if it’s even still a Thing but whatever, sometimes an idea grabs you and you take forever to share the results. If I were drawing these three normally and not with the “fashion doll line” idea in mind, they’d prolly have more varied body shapes. I know Lilya would be much taller than the other two and Nikki prolly wouldn’t have anything resembling boob curvature, but I copy-pasted the body structure and posing to give this thing the exact amount of effort it deserved /j

[thetravelerwrites]

Courtship of the Headless King: Chapter One

Rating: General Audiences Fandoms: 忘却の首と姫 | Boukyaku no Shirushi to Hime | The Princess and The Forgotten Head Relationship: Female Human/Male Headless King Additional Tags: Slow Burn, Political Marriage, Power Dynamic, Headless King Words: 4366

This is not my original work!

This is a fan retelling of one of my favorite mangas, Boukyaki no Shirushi to Hime, whose original mangaka sadly passed away in 2014, leaving the series unfinished. I will start at the beginning of the manga and go through the entire story that has already been written. Once I reach chapter 20, which is the end of the published chapters, I will have to start extrapolating and imagining how the story may have played out. I hope I can do the original story justice and not disgrace the original author.

I will say that I will be fixing a few things that made me uncomfortable about the original manga, in that the female protagonist was 15, which I didn't like. Otherwise I will try to stick as close to the original story as possible, though I will be arranging it so that it's a bit more linear.

I hope you enjoy!

“Blessings to you, my lady,” The visitor said, bowing deeply in greeting. “My name is Aquamarine. I am a servant of the high king of Banfarie and a chosen attendant to the future queen.”

The summons wasn’t necessarily a shock, but it was definitely a surprise. Lilya, the third princess of the former kingdom of Tritsia, had come of age during a bloody war between kingdoms to either side, and her small, impoverished land had been caught in the crossfire. Tritsia had been absorbed by the victorious kingdom to the east, Couliea, and was now a vassal state. As such, the royal family of Tritsia were now hardly more than paupers in their own kingdom.

Lilya assumed that she would no longer be eligible for the marriage interviews that were famously, or perhaps infamously, conducted five times every month in the largest empire in the continent, Banfarie. The interviews had been happening since before she had even been born, but as of yet, no queen had been selected. Or rather, no woman had accepted.

The rules for who would be chosen for the interviews was standard for most monarchs looking for a queen: a woman of royal or noble blood with proof of lineage, at least eighteen years old but no older that twenty five, no previous marriages or engagements, no children, and… well… consent.

Lilya met most of the criteria… except for one thing: she wasn’t a high born woman anymore. Her family’s royal status had ended when the kingdom was absorbed into another. Besides, even when her father had been king, they had never exactly been what anyone would consider proper royalty. Her father worked in the fields with his people, doing the same back-breaking labor as his subjects. Back then, she could hardly be called princess, but now she was nothing more than a peasant farm girl, more suited to feeding chickens and mucking out stables than attending grand balls and high teas.

So there had been quite a stir when their unusual guest came to deliver the summons. She was a woman who appeared very young in age, no more than perhaps sixteen, though she spoke as if she were a far older creature. She had a short bob haircut and a thick fringe, but it wasn’t enough to hide her pointed ears, her sharp eyes, and her upswept eyebrows, belying a nature that wasn’t human.

Her cloak was plain, but well-made and of fine cloth, likely silk or satin. She had all the hallmarks of a servant of a wealthy, prosperous nation. She had been given entrance to the house by the only servant Lilya’s family employed, Sebastian, and was standing in the receiving room with Lilya’s mother and aunt.

“I come with greetings from my Lord King, to relay a question and to present a gift to you, beloved princess.”

Lilya tilted her head. “A gift? His Majesty didn’t need to send a gift.”

Aquamarine simply chuckled and bowed. “From his Majesty, with his kindest regards.” From her cloak, she produced a velveteen box and opened it, revealing a tiara of breathtaking beauty. Sizable diamonds and sapphires lined the circlet and rose up to create a lovely sloped and winding style like that of wind on water. It was a crown that would suit any head it rested upon.

“Oh!” Lilya breathed. “It’s breathtaking!” She rushed to her mother in delight. “This is the answer to the famine on the outskirts in the south! If we sell the tiara at the biggest market in the neighboring kingdom, we could feed the farmers for months, maybe a year!”

��Lilya!” Her aunt exclaimed in horror. “How could you suggest such a thing? This was a gift from a king, for goodness sake, you can’t just sell it!”

“But, Auntie, I can’t hoard something like this when people are starving!”

“You would not wear it?” Aquamarine asked, her face shrewdly assessing. “Is it not to your liking?”

“Oh, no, that’s not it at all!” Lilya insisted earnestly. “It’s lovely, more so than anything I’ve ever seen. I’ve never worn anything so extravagant. But… truly, for me to wear it would be like putting silk ribbons on a pig. It would be far less useful as a trinket in my wardrobe and better as a tool to feed the hungry. I’m afraid that Couliea doesn’t pay much attention to our struggles, so we have to fend for ourselves. This,” Lilya gently took the box from Aquamarine and turned it so that she could see the tiara properly. “This is indeed a kingly gift. This will save lives. There is no more noble a gift as that.” She bowed her head and handed the box back gingerly. “If his Majesty would not be pleased with my conduct, I understand, but I would hope he would see the sense in my actions.”

Aquamarine laughed a little. “I do not think his Majesty will be displeased. Quite the opposite. Even still,” Aquamarine set the box down on the table and carefully pried a dangling jewel from the very center, threading it through a silver chain she had worn around her own neck, and placed it on Lilya. “His Majesty will want confirmation that his gift was received. This will suffice.”

“Then I shall wear it to the marriage interview,” Lilya said, patting it fondly.

Aquamarine’s head cocked back in surprise. “I had not even had the chance to ask you, and yet you’re agreeing to go?”

“Well, yes,” Lilya said. “That’s why you’ve come to call on me, isn’t it?”

“Of course,” Aquamarine said with a smirk. “But usually it takes much more convincing on my part. I don’t believe I’ve ever met someone so… eager.”

“At the very least, I have to thank him for his generosity,” Lilya said. “Even if he decides I’m not a good match for him, I have to express my gratitude in person.”

“You’re not scared? I’m certain you’ve heard the rumors about my Lord King.”

“Well… yes,” Lilya admitted. “I won’t lie and say I’m not apprehensive, but kindness like this can’t go unacknowledged. It’s only right that I meet with him.”

Where Aquamarine’s smile had been playful and mischievous before, it was now wide and warm. “I will happily go now and inform his Majesty of your decision. My sisters and I will return in a fortnight to collect you for your interview. You may bring a guest with you, if you wish, though I assure you that you’ll be quite safe in our care.”

“I have no doubt that’s true,” Lilya said, bowing. “Would you like some refreshments to take with you on your trip back?”

“How kind of you, dear, but that won’t be necessary,” Aquamarine said, patting Lilya’s cheek. “We shall return in two weeks. You make sure you take care now. Our Lord King would be much distressed should something happen to you in the meantime.”

Aquamarine snapped her fingers, and there was a flash of light from which everyone in the room had to shield their eyes. When they blinked, the young woman was gone.

“Witch...” Sebastian said in horror. “My Lady, you can’t meet with this monster! What kind of king employs such demons?”

“Likely someone who understands that people like them also need to earn a living, I’d imagine,” Lilya said reasonably. “Besides, I’ve already agreed and accept his gift. I can’t go back on my word.”

“I can’t believe you’d actually sell such a treasure,” Your aunt said disapprovingly. “You’re so like your father.”

She didn’t mean that in a good way. Lilya’s mother’s sister, Kiya, had always disliked her father and resented him for being too weak a king, unable to protect his people during the war. She had also resented Lilya ever since she had been born. There was worry that Sophie would not be able to carry another child at her age, and that the royal line would end as there would be no male heir to Tritsia.

The birth of Lilya’s little brother shortly before her father’s death was not enough to warm Kiya to Lilya. In fact, it seemed to drive the wedge even further, as Sophie and her brother were both terribly weak afterward and there was concern they wouldn’t survive. Kiya had gone so far as to blame Lilya, telling her that it would have been her fault if they died. As a nine year old, she couldn’t imagine what she’d have done to cause such a terrible thing, but now she understood it was just her aunt lashing out.

Perhaps it was because Lilya resembled her father the most out of all her siblings, or because she was most like him in temperament, but she doubted Kiya would ever view her favorably. She was still family, though, and Lilya tried not to take her criticism to heart, though her aunt’s cutting eyes often wore into her painfully.

“I’m doing this for our country, even if it no longer exists,” Lilya said, determinedly putting the box away in a case so that Sebastian could take it to the neighboring kingdom for appraisal. “The king has called for me. The least I can do is answer.”

“Lilya’s right, Kiya,” Lilya’s mother, Sophie, said reluctantly. “It would be improper for us to take his gift and ignore him. Though I can’t say that I’m pleased with the idea of this.” Sophie sighed unhappily. “Lilya would have been expected to marry soon as it is. I supposed we couldn’t hope for better than a king.” Sophie took her daughter’s hands in her own. “Still, I’m very worried. I should come with you.”

“No, Mama, they need you here. You’ll have to be the one to make sure that the tiara gets a fair price and oversee the distribution of the food to the needy. I’ll be fine on my own, and besides, Aquamarine said that she and her sisters were part of the Queen’s guard, and I liked her very much. I couldn’t be any safer.”

Lilya’s mother grimaced. “That doesn’t make me feel better. You have many lovely qualities, my sweet child, but being a good judge of character is not among them. All anyone needs to do is tell you a sad story for you to want to take them under your wing, regardless of their true intentions.” She smiled fondly. “You’re much like your father in that respect.”

Lilya smiled in return. “Father was not a good king,” She said sadly. “But he was a good man.”

“With that, I cannot argue,” Sophie said, but she frowned in distress. “You’re elder sisters had married before they got the summons, so I’ve never met with the king. Your father met with him only once, during a conference of kings, but he never told us anything about him other than he found him to be… striking. I think he didn’t tell us more because he want to frighten us.”

“Have you heard much about him?” Lilya asked anxiously.

“Reports are varied and hard to believe; that the king is a headless monster, thousands of years old, ten feet tall, winged and hulking, who eats the women who refused him. I’m not sure I believed any of that, but the rumors are still enough to make me trepidatious.”

Sebastian grumbled, his mustache shuddering. “It is the rumors that could be true that make me uneasy.”

“How do you mean?”

“I am an old man now,” Sebastian said. “Well into my seventies, so I remember when the interviews began sixty years ago. In all that time, and no queen of Banfarie has been chosen. It concerns me. The king himself may now be an old man.”

“Is that why he’s being turned down?” Lilya asked.

“No, young madam,” He said. “You see, even before the interviews began, Banfarie had no queen in nearly one hundred years. In fact, since that time, no new kings had been crowned, either. The king from one hundred years ago was an elusive man who few had ever met, and those who did were terrified of him. If the current king is that man’s successor, it’s certainly distressing. But if he is the same man, then he is a creature of deeply evil magic, and Lady Lilya should stay far away from him.”

“Even if he were the same man, which should be impossible, his reputation is less than ideal,” Sophie said pensively. “The house of Banfarie is known historically for it’s cruelty and harsh punishments, even of neighboring kingdoms. It instituted a law that allowed Banfarie to make judgments on the conduct of royals, indict them criminally, and even sentence retribution against them, up to and including execution. The neighboring kingdoms pushed back against this, of course, but eventually they all fell in line and wrote it into their countries’ laws. I don’t trust any man who could wield that level of power over others.”

“But think of what that level of influence could do for Tritsia!” Kiya said. “A king with that kind of power could protect us and provide for us!”

Sophie shivered. “I don’t want to know what he would want in return for that protection.”

“Well, I would think that’s be obvious,” Kiya said, looking pointedly at Lilya.

Sophie, normally a mild, even-tempered woman, grew angry. “And you’re alright with that, are you? You’re willing to sell my youngest daughter to a monster if it benefits you?”

“Sophie, don’t be sentimental,” Kiya said, folding her arms. “Political marriages are common for royalty. If we had been a stronger country, this would be completely normal, even for a third daughter.”

“We’re not royalty anymore,” Sophie said firmly.

“But we could be, that’s the point!”

“Please, don’t fight,” Lilya said, getting between the two sisters. “I’ve already made the decision. Kiya is right; if I were to marry His Majesty of Banfarie, our kingdom would then be his responsibility rather than that of Couliea. However he treats that responsibility, it can’t be worse than the wanton destruction from the war or the indifferent cruelty of Couliea. If he accepts me, even if it is only a political marriage and nothing more, it would greatly benefit us both. He would at last gain the queen he’s been searching for and our country will be protected. I will meet him. Perhaps the rumors are wrong.”

“I can only hope,” Sophie remarked grimly. After throwing an angry look at her sister, she pulled Lilya away from Kiya and spoke in an undertone. “But… is this what you really want?”

“I want my family and people safe and well above all,” Lilya said. “If this king can offer that, then I can ask for nothing more.”

“If this is what you wish,” Her mother said slowly. “Then I will respect it. But… it is not what I would wish for you.”

“I know, Mama,” Lilia said. “We don’t always get what we truly wish for. But this is as close as I can get.”

“If the king accepts you,” Lilya’s mother remarked sadly. “We may never see you again.”

“That may not be true. I would hope that his Majesty wouldn’t prevent me from seeing my family once I settle in.”

“Just be careful, my love,” Her mother said, pulling her into a hug. “Be careful.”

As promised, Aquamarine returned in a fortnight to collect Lilya to take her to the capitol of Banfarie, Rukruf. A carriage had come with them for Lilya’s comfort.

“Couldn’t you transport me like you did the day you first came?”

“I’m afraid that’s a rather disorienting way to travel for humans, My Lady,” Aquamarine said, taking Lilya’s luggage. “It would require some degree of acclamation, and I don’t think his Majesty would want you to be sick during your interview.” She lifted Lilya’s bag up with one hand. “Is this all you’re bringing with you?”

“This is all I have,” Lilya replied simply. “You admit that you’re not human?”

“I was never attempting to hide it. I’m a spirit, specifically an stone spirit, as are my sisters. There they are now.”

She jerked her head toward the carriage. There were two more women identical to Aquamarine near the carriage, one in the driver’s box and another holding open the door to the carriage. All three women had short, pale lavender colored hair and large, glittering eyes. They wore identical uniforms similar to that of an attendant, but the skirts were rather short, stopping just below the knee, giving them a freer rang of movement. Each one had a dagger hanging from their hip.

Both new sisters bowed deeply as Lilya approached.

“My lady,” They said in unison.

“Garnet,” Aquamarine said, pointing to the driver,and then to the coach-woman. “And Peridot.”

“I don’t doubt the three of you are sisters; I can’t tell you apart,” Lilya said.

“Ah, but see?” Peridot said, pointing to a white bow on the right side of her hair in the shape of a butterfly. She then pointed to Garnet, who wore a black butterfly bow on her left side, and to Aquamarine, who wore no bow at all. “Even people who know us well have trouble distinguishing us from the other, so we’ve taken to wearing these. Only his Majesty can tell us apart without them.”

“Here, my Lady,” Peridot said, swinging a beautiful, fur-lined, snow-white cloak around Lilya’s shoulders. “We’ll be going through the mountains and it’s likely to get cold. His Majesty had this made for you.”

“Oh, it’s lovely,” Lilya said, petting the soft, veltvety collar that ruffed around her neck. “I’m starting to get anxious about meeting him.”

“In a good way or a bad way?” Peridot asked ash she helped Lilya up into the carriage.

“I can’t tell,” Lilya replied, laughing nervously.

“Don’t be nervous,” Peridot said as she came in and closed the door behind her, rapping sharply on the roof before settling. “His Majesty is only a threat to humans.”

Lilya looked at Peridot in alarm.

“It was a joke,” Peridot assured her, giggling. “…mostly.”

The carriage lurched forward and Aquamarine put a hand out to steady Lilya before she fell out of her seat.

“When will we arrive?”

“Around sunset tomorrow,” Aquamarine replied. “We’ll continue on through the night rather than stop at an inn. His Majesty is eager to meet you.”

“Won’t you be tired?” Lilya asked.

“Not to worry,” Aquamarine said. “Spirits like us don’t need much sleep, only a few hours a week. We’re all rested up.”

“That’s amazing. I wish I could do that.”

“Yes, it is awfully handy,” Peridot said rather smugly. “Are you hungry? We’ve brought things for you to eat.”

The two days passed pleasantly and Lilya spent the time having long, friendly conversations with all three sisters. Lilya had never had lady friends her age, and though the women were spirits and likely far older than she was, they seemed to enjoy her company and asked her many questions.

“Oh, Lady, come and see!” Garnet said, pointing out of the window. “You can see the capitol city from this vantage!”

Delighted, Lilya looked out of the window where Garnet was pointing. “It’s huge!” She exclaimed. “I can’t even see the end of it! It must be as large as my entire country!”

“Your country is larger by about fifty miles, in fact,” Aquamarine said. “It’s the smallest country on the continent.”

“Yes, that sounds right,” She sighed. “I mean, I didn’t know that for sure, but I’m not surprised.”

“Are you sad to be from such a small country?”

“No,” She replied. “My country is beautiful and my people are good. I just wish we were better able to defend ourselves.”

“Well, you may not have that problem anymore,” Aquamarine said. “We’re nearly there.”

“Will I meet his Majesty today?”

“No, you will be tired from the trip and will rest for tonight. He will conduct your interview tomorrow after you have your breakfast. His Majesty has instructed us to see to your every comfort.”

“That’s just going to make me more anxious,” Lilya said.

“The best things are worth waiting for,” Peridot said.

That evening, they arrived at the castle, which was every bit as colossal as described. Over it was a cloud of purple, blue, and pink particles, as if it were perpetual sunset over the castle.

“What is that?”

“It’s called the Aurora,” Garnet said. “It’s a magical field that has existed over the castle for hundreds of years and is the source of the royal family’s magical power. It ascends and descends over the castle, depending on how the king feels. It’s highly reactive to his emotional state.”

“Oh, goodness,” Lilya said. “It’s rather low right now. What does that mean?”

“Hmm…” Garnet said. “I believe he may be feeling rather withdrawn.”

“I wonder why that would be,” Lilya mused.

Standing at the front steps of the castle as they pulled up were two young men in uniform, one blond and one dark haired. The blond wore glasses and seemed to be the junior of the two. They bowed as Lilya exited the carriage.

“Miss Lilya, these are the King’s personal attendants, Larima,” She gestured at the dark haired one first, and then to the blond. “And Raba. They are meeting you in place of his Majesty today.”

“Does that mean his Majesty is watching?” Lilya asked, looking up at the windows.

“Whether he is or is not,” Larima said as he straightened. “We are pleased to meet you, My Lady. Please allow us to show you to your room.”

“Yes, thank you,” Lilya replied. Curiously, she noticed as they turned that there appeared to be leaves growing out of their hair.

The sisters were following behind her at a short distance. “Are they spirits, too?” Lilya asked them in an undertone.

“Yes,” Peridot said. “They’re tree spirits. All of the staff employed at his Majesty’s main castle are not human.”

“Why?”

“His Majesty distrusts humans,” Aquamarine replied.

“But isn’t his Majesty human?” Lilya asked in confusion.

“Yes,” Peridot responded.

“And no,” Garnet said.

Lilya made a noise of uncertainty under her breath.

“Don’t worry, my Lady,” Garnet said. “You’ll understand tomorrow.”

“This is all very ominous,” Lilya said uncertainly.

“Yes!” Peridot said. “Isn’t it exciting?”

Before she could answer, she was lead to an opulent guestroom, far larger than any of the rooms in her home, filled with luxurious furniture and carefully crafted decorations.

“This can’t be my room,” Lilya said with a laugh. “What would I do with all this space?”

Raba and Larima exchanged looks. “Do you dislike it? We have a number of other rooms. You’re free to choose any one of them.”

“Oh, it’s not like that,” Lilya said hastily. “It’s beautiful, I adore it. Please, it’s not that I’m ungrateful, I just feel like… I don’t know… isn’t it wasted on me?”

The triplets sighed sadly, having become used to Lilya’s unusual behavior, but the men continued to look confused.

“You do realize that if his Majesty chooses you and you accept, you’ll be queen?” Raba asked. “This,” He gestured at the room. “Is nothing compared to the queen’s suite.”

“Oh…” Lilya replied, a little disconcerted. “This will take some getting used to.”

“I understand,” Larima said. “You’re the princess from Tritsia, correct? The smallest, poorest kingdom on the continent, now a captured vassal state of Couliea. I suppose you must not be accustomed to living so resplendently.”

“Larima!” Aquamarine hissed. “Don’t be so tactless!”

Lilya laughed a little, relieved. “No, it’s alright. I’m not used to this at all, that’s true. Will that bother his Majesty?”

Larima smiled and shook his head. “No, I shouldn’t think so. Don’t worry so much about what’s appropriate and just enjoy your time here. Come.” He lead Lilya inside and showed her two cords right next to the bed, a small blue cord and a larger red cord. “The blue cord is attached to a bell in the queen’s attendants’ quarters. If you need for anything, just ring it and one of the triplets will be here in an instant. The red one is an alarm. If you pull it, bells will go off all throughout the castle. Ring it only if it’s an emergency.”

“I understand,” Lilya said. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

Raba and Larima bowed and left, and the triplets ushered Lilya into an adjacent dining room to have dinner.

After a restless night of sleep and a breakfast she barely touched, Lilya was dressed in a lovely blue gown that complimented her hair, which was pulled back with matching ribbons. The bodice was tight but comfortable, the cut of the dress was simple but elegant, and for the first time, Lilya felt like a proper grown woman.

A knock on the door revealed Raba.

“His Majesty is ready for you and is waiting in his office,” He said.

Lilya stood and clenched her hands to stop them from shaking and followed Raba out of her quarters with Garnet and Aquamarine following behind her.

“Don’t worry, my Lady,” Garnet said. “I think the king will like you very much.”

“You do?”

“Oh yes,” Aquamarine replied. “We’re more concerned whether or not you’ll like him.”

“Why wouldn’t I like him?” She asked.

“Well…” Garnet began regretfully, but then stopped.

“Here we are,” Raba said, gesturing to a set of large double doors. “One moment please.” Raba knocked on the door. “Your Majesty, I have retrieved Lady Lilya for her interview. Are you ready?”

There was silence, though Raba tilted his head as if he were listening.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Raba opened one of the doors and stood aside. “You may enter.”

Gulping, checking that the pendant was in place, and taking a deep breath, Lilya stepped inside.

There, standing rail-straight behind a desk, was a tall, thin man wearing elaborate garments in keeping with his status as a king and emperor, as well as a sash and badges of his station. Almost immediately, one of the many rumors about the king was confirmed with Lilya’s own eyes.

His Imperial Majesty, the king of Banfarie, had no head.

Since my work is no longer searchable, please do me a favor and reblog this story if you enjoyed it. Help me reach a wider audience! To help me continue creating, please consider becoming a Patron or donating directly to my PayPal!

Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

[extremelyblackandwhite]

handmaid - 15

PAIRING: mob!sebastian stan x ingenue!reader

WARNINGS: age gap, sexual mentions

A/N:  hope you enjoy this chapter xxx

NEXT CHAPTER

    - I think we suffer from the same thing, then … Sir. - her lashes fluttered slowly and Sebastian wondered if time had stopped moving and she was perhaps the only person who held that control.

    - Fuck it. - his hands flew to the sides of her face, grabbing her close to him so he could connect his lips to hers. Y/N fell down onto he couch, losing balance at the sheer veracity of the kiss. He swiftly turned her around so she was laying on top of his chest. The kiss seemed endless and every time it felt like it ended, he would kiss her again some longer some shorter. Her hands slid up and down his blazer, stopping at the top so she could pull it off him and throw it somewhere in the living room.

As his hands climbed up her torso, reaching the bottom of her sweatshirt until the lift binged. Y/N’s heart stopped as she pushed him off her, eyes widening as she saw Gwen walk into the entrance followed by her newer bed acquisition. The heiress paid barely any attention to the two of them, instead grabbing her bag from the hook. 

     - Try to be back by 5, we have that cabaret meeting, remember? - Sebastian spoke up before Gwen could return to the lift. 

     - I’ve already told you that I won’t be caught dead in a cabaret. - she rolled her eyes, lowering her dark sunglasses to the bridge of her nose. - Ask Y/N to go, she probably has nothing to do. 

     - It’s not Y/N’s job to ...

     - It’s okay. - Y/N softly placed her hand on Sebastian’s shoulder, trying to diffuse the fight that was surely about to begin if he decided to speak back to Gwen. She guessed he didn’t know to what extent she always got what she wanted and so, she thought that maybe her long and thorough knowledge in avoiding blow outs with Gwen could help him. However, Sebastian calmed down due to her soft touch and not because she decided to avoid a fight. She seemed to have that effect on him. - I’ll just fill in for Gwen, I have the free night. 

    - Are we done? - she whined like a five year old before jumping back into the lift once Sebastian dismissed the situation. Once the lift doors closed and the arrows above blinked the down, Sebastian wrapped his hands around Y/N’s waist effectively pulling her from the couch onto his lap. 

    - Where were we? - he questioned, pushing the hair away from her face that had inevitably moved out of place during the heavy make out. Her cheeks heated up as she moved her head into the space between his neck and shoulder, inhaling the smell of bergamot and pepper of his cologne. Sebastian always seemed to smell good in an intoxicating way that made her want to wrap her whole being around the scent. - Cuddling works too. 

   - We can’t do this. You know we can’t do this. - there was really not much force or containment left in Y/N and characters she used to loathe for their infidelity suddenly became sympathetic in her mind. Suddenly Y/N understood Anna, Cecilia, Constance and their passions for it seemed that once your heart made a decision, your mind couldn’t really argue it. So there she was now, out of arguments, out of reasons not to be in his arms, wrapped in his aura. She had lost all the reasons. Why should she be allowed to give into her passions when Gwen herself constantly did despite her impending marriage? Why should Y/N always be in the right? Was there even something known as right or wrong or was everything shades of greyness? - One of us must have self control.

  - Well, angel ... I hope you’re not expecting me to be the prudent one because I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you. - Y/N pulled slightly back to look at his eyes. Eyes couldn’t lie as they were the window to the soul and the soul is too pure to be filled with lies. His eyes were softened, looking at her as if he had stated the most mundane fact in the whole entire universe, as if he had told her it was rainy outside, no big deal. - Besides, what she doesn’t know won’t kill her. 

   - Maybe you’re right. Maybe we ...

   - Mr Stan? - they were removed off their daizy daydream by a voice getting closer and closer. Yet, this time, none of them were fast enough or caring enough to separate from each other and as such Amelia walked in to her employer sat against the couch with one of his employees on his lap. Y/N cowered under her gaze, swearing mentally as Sebastian got up. - Your one o’clock meeting is here. 

   - Thank you, Amelia. - he cleared his throat before turning his head ever so slightly to look at Y/N. - I’ll see you tonight, angel. 

The handmaid nodded, bitting her lip as he left before her gaze shifted to Amelia who had a slightly hidden grin in her face, something she couldn’t exactly read. Was she gonna tell Gwen about the situation she had found? Was she gonna lecture her that the position was not something she should’ve been in with a married man? 

   - I must say, Miss Y/N, you’re quite the little box of surprises. 

   - Please don’t tell Gwen. - she rushed after her into the kitchen. - I know it’s wrong but I ... I really tried. 

   - Miss Y/N, it’s not up to me to judge your choices. Besides, I’ve always thought Mr. Stan needed a softer influence to get away from whatever manners his father taught him. 

   - But it’s wrong ... I’m such a bad person. - Y/N plopped down on one of the high chairs. - How would Gwen feel if she knew?

   - Well, how would you feel if it was someone else he was engaged to and not Miss Gwen? - Y/N rubbed her neck at the question. Was she only feeling bad because she knew Gwen ever since they were children? Would she have jumped into the affair without a thought? Was she that bad of a person. - People aren’t good or bad, Miss Y/N. No one is purely good and no one is purely bad.

   - I can’t explain an affair. Why would I do this? Her family raised me and could possibly kill me. How do I thank them? I kiss her husband to be in her home. Oh god, I’m a home wrecker ...

   - Now, now, Miss Y/N. You can’t be a home wrecker if those two never really wanted to be in a relationship. You can’t destroy something that isn’t there. 

Even with that Y/N spent the rest of the day wallowing in pity over feeling rather attracted to the mob boss. How could she not feel attracted to him? Not only did he appeal to her most primitive part but also to her modern side. Being next to him meant she was constantly protected, if no one dared to shot at him no one would shot at her. On the other side, he was absolutely stunning, well built and probably the nicest man she had ever met. True, she didn’t exactly know his mob persona but she didn’t exactly knew most of other mobsters business persona. 

She tried to busy her mind by considering what to wear to a cabaret. In the first place, she didn’t even knew that cabarets existed anymore and the only place she had ever heard about a cabaret had been the musical cabaret. What did people even wore to a cabaret? With that thought in mind she opened her wardrobe looked at the various dresses Gwen had handed out to her over the years. What was suitable to wear in a cabaret even? Did you dress like if you went to a nightclub? Maybe she should dress classically. Classic dresses were the most she had on her wardrobe due to Gwen having quite a few for cocktail parties and other high class gatherings but Y/N had always had a favourite one. It was an Elia Saab dress Gwen had gotten from one of her father’s associates. It was made of a short white sheer fabric which had been embroided with white flowers. It had always been one of Y/N’s favourites growing up as it reminded her of something a princess would wear, it was magical.

She grabbed the hanger of her wardrobe, pacing over to the bigger mirror with it. Once her reflection was seen in the mirror, she placed the hanger over her shoulder, playing with the fabric as she watched it in the mirror. It looked beautiful and the mere sight of it made her forget she was about to attend a business event with the man she was absolutely smitten with.

The time seemed to speed up faster and faster as Y/N gotten ready and before she knew it, it was time to go to the cabaret. Did she know what to expect? No. Was she nervous? Yes, but not entirely for the reason you’d expect her to be. She closed the door of her bedroom, face turned to the door.

   - You better not be trying to run away. - she moved her gaze from the door, noticing Sebastian at the end of the hallway. - Because it would be a pity not to show up to that meeting without such a little pretty thing like you on my arm. 

   - Am I your accessory now? 

   - Angel, anyone standing next to your is the accessory, not the other way around.

Sebastian had always believed Y/N was probably the most beautiful woman he’d ever come to see in his whole life but the dress and jewellery always took her to a level that the mob boss didn’t think humanly possible. If he said he wasn’t rather prideful of parading her around as they walked into one of the cabarets he’d inherit from his father, he’d be lying. She still did not understand why out of all places he and his associates decided to have a meeting in a cabaret.

She was quickly introduced to most people before being sat by Sebastian’s left, a place that was usually reserved for either the wife or partner of a mob boss. Y/N had been used to setting the table back at the Forrests and that was something that had gotten engrained in her mind as Mr. Forrest took it particularly personal on keeping sitting etiquette. She wondered if Sebastian cared about it. Y/N soon realised that the meeting was about to become private as some of the associates got up. 

  - Stay here. - he mumbled against her ear. - I better not hear about you wandering around. 

  - Or what? - Sebastian was a controlling man and he was certain that Y/N’s natural born curiosity was something hard to keep in control. However, this was a mob spot and he didn’t want her wandering around. 

  - I’ll spank you, angel.

tag list: @lilya-petrichor @xoxohannahlee @irespostthingsiwanttoseelater @nikkipea @madisonpillstrom @cevans98 @thelostallycat @sideeffectsofyou @anxiousdreamersworld​ @sarge-barnes-sir @captainchrisstan @lookiamtrying

[jiejie-eonni-onee-sama]

UNUSUAL FAMILY F.A.Q

The Carlyle-Patterson family answers your questions!

The Carlyle-Patterson family: HELLO EVERYONE!

Matt: First of all, welcome to our house! We are very happy to see you!

Andy: Secondly, thanks for all the questions you send us! I hope it will help to know us better!

Nathan: Dads! Can we start now?

Cadeyrn: Don’t be so impatient!

Isaac: Calm down, guys!

Ethan: Please, don’t start a fight! People are looking at us!

Lilya: Okay! Let’s pick the first question!

Matt picks a question.

Matt: Let’s see... Ah! This question is from @marilynmonroefanfics and @onemoreparadise ! And it’s for me!

Q: Matt, how did you meet your husband?

Andrew: Ah, memories!

Matt (smiling): The best memories... Well, to answer this question, Andy and I met at university. He was studying architecture while I studied forensic sciences. One day, we bumped into each other... and since, I did not let him go!

Nathan (smirking): That is the cheesiest thing I ever heard!

Andrew: Wait until you will find your significant other, young man!

Isaac: Alright, next question (picks a paper) Here we are! This question is from @fandoms-are-my-friends-1321 !

Q: Hello! I have a question for the Unusual Family. How many of you are there?

Nathan: We are seven in this family: 2 dads and 5 children. The eldest is Cadeyrn, the second is Ethan, Isaac is the third, I am the fourth, and Lilya is the baby of the family!

Lilya (vexed): I am not a baby!

Ethan: It is just a way of speaking, Lilya.

Matt: Right! Lilya, pick the next question, please!

Lilya takes a paper and unfolds it.

Lilya: This question was asked by @marilynmonroefanfics ! Dad, Papa, it’s for you! 

Matt & Andy: AH? WHAT IS IT?

Q:  Matt and Andy, do you have a favorite child?

Lilya: Say it’s me!

All laugh.

Andrew: Seriously, we don’t have a favorite child. We equally love them!

Matt: I agree. However, some share our characters. For example, Cadeyrn & Isaac have a lot of common points with me whereas Ethan and Nathan share more traits with Andy! As for Lilya, she is the balance between us!

Lilya (grins): INDEED!

Nathan: Okay! Now, I pick the next question (takes a paper). What he have here? Ah ah! It’s from @redrosewritingsstuff ! Let’s see...

Q: Hiya! I wanted to ask the fam on what is their favorite activity as a family? luv u all💛💛

Lilya: They are nice!

Nathan: I agree!

Cadeyrn: Well, we do a lot of things together during the week-ends or our free time. We watch movies, go out for a walk, play some board games, talking...

Lilya: Cooking too!

Ethan: Yeah, you’re right! We often bake some cakes on Saturdays!

Isaac: Now, let’s pick the next question!

Andy picks the question.

Andy: Ah, another question from @marilynmonroefanfics ! Let’s see...

Q:  Have your children ever walked on you when you were (f*ckin)?

Matt & Andy: WHAT?

The kids laugh.

Matt (facepalming): I should have know there will be question like that!

Cadeyrn (smirking): So, are you going to answer this question or not?

Andrew: As if we have the choice! Well, to be honest, when Matt and I want to have an intimate moment, we try to be discreet and manage to do it when the children are not here. Besides, the walls are pretty thick, so...

Nathan: Just in case, for the safety of our ears, we always had earplugs in our bedrooms. So, when I feel things are getting hot between my dads, I scream “OPERATION EARPLUGS”. So, we can spend a quiet night and we don’t end up traumatized!

Isaac: And it is quite efficient!

Andy: Now, can we have another question? It is getting embarrassing, now!

Cadeyrn: Alright! I choose the next question! (picks the question) This time, it is @empress-writes !

Q:  Who cheats on family game night?

Lilya, Cadeyrn, Isaac, and Ethan: NATHAN!

Nathan: What? No! (grins) Well, maybe sometimes...

Ethan: Our dear brother likes to play with the rules!

Nathan: It’s just for liven things up! 

Matt: Calm down, kids, and let’s answer the next question!

Andy: Let me see: I wish to not answer a embarrassing question... Ah, what @onemoreparadise wants to know about us?

Q: How is the financial situation of the family?

Andy: Interesting question... Well, my dear, we may not be the wealthiest citizens of the city, but we have a comfortable situation. Matthew and I have a good salary, so it is helpful!

Isaac: It explains why we are often spoiled at our birthdays or Christmas!

Lilya: Next question, please!

Matt: Oh, oh! Another from @marilynmonroefanfics ! I dread what will be the question!

Q: Andy, how would you describe the taste of Matt's lips?

Matt (grinning): Tell me, honey... How do my lips taste?

Cadeyrn, Ethan, Isaac, Nathan & Lilya: YUCK! THAT’S GROSS!

Andy (facepalming): Why it’s always me who has the most embarrassing questions? (sighs) Nevermind!

Ethan: Dad, people wait for your answer...

Andy: I know, I know! (thinks) Well, I would describe the taste of my husband like a mixture of coffee, cherry, and lime! They are soft, but a bit rough sometimes!

Matt: I am flattered!

Nathan: NEXT, PLEASE!

Andy: Nathan, don’t scream!

Nathan: Sorry, dad!

Isaac: And now, we have a question from... @fandomgirl800​ ! And it’s for Cadeyrn and Lilya!

Q: Hello Carlyle-Patterson family! 👋 I hope you are all doing well!I would like to ask Lilya and Cadeyrn : What is your favorite food?

Cadeyrn: Hmmm... Excellent question! Well, I would say that my favorite food is pizza!

Lilya: As for me, it is spaghetti cabornara!

Nathan: Right... Let’s see... Oh oh!

Matt: What’s going on?

Nathan: Unfortunately, you have another question from @marilynmonroefanfics​ !

Matt & Andy: AGAIN?

Andy: Let me read it first... (becomes pale) Matt, look at it...

Matt: What? 

Q: Matt, do you have a favourite kink? Andy, do you have a favourite position? Do you two own s*x toys?

Matt: Kids, cover your ears, please!

All covered their ears.

Matt: Right... To answer your question, no, I don’t have a favourite kink. However, I find Andy extremely sexy when he wears a tie...

Andy (blushing): Stop that!

Matt: It is the truth!

Andy (smiling): If you say so... As for me, I don’t have a favourite position. I am often the sub one, if you know what I mean. Sometimes, we switch positions. And for answering the last question!

Andy & Matt: NO, WE DON’T OWN S*X TOYS!

Matt (smirking): We’re too old to play with toys!

Andy (rolling his eyes): Did you really need to say that?

Matt: Being precise is important, darling! Children, you can uncover your ears!

Isaac: About time! 

Ethan: Oh my! We forgot the other questions from @fandomgirl800​ !

Cadeyrn: Let’s read them!

Ethan: They are also for you and Lilya!

Cadeyrn & Lilya: REALLY?

Q: What is your dream job?If you could choose family vacation spot, which one would you choose?

Cadeyrn: Uh, what a good question... I want to be an animator after my studies: I love creating and animating short stories on my computer. For the holiday spot, I would choose the South of France: it is sunny and there is lot of nice places!

Lilya: When I grow up, I want to be a music teacher, because it is funny and I love playing music instruments! For holidays, I really want to go to Kenya: I really want to see the animals!

Nathan: Really interesting. At least, we have ideas for our next holidays!

Isaac: Er, guys... We have another question from @marilynmonroefanfics​ !

All: WHAT? AGAIN?

Q:  Andy, do you have a talent no-one know about?

Andy: At least a nice question! Well, my special talent is... I know how to play guitar and I am a skilled biker!

The kids: REALLY? COOL!

Matt: And you only tell me that now? We could went for a ride!

Andy: But it’s never too late...

Nathan: Sounds like you have plan for the week-end...

[kaichan24]

Some Lilia & Yuri fics

1. Adapting to Russia or how Lilya learned they matched. Today something was different. He came in and started warming up, as usual, but something in his posture seemed off...like he was too tense, too stiff. She didn't heed it much thought at the time, she was supposed to be finishing some paper work and some routines for the upcoming season (after all, she had her own students besides Yakov's).

Regardless, though, of her own determination to keep working, the kid's natural way of moving kept drawing her in. Half an hour into his practice, she no longer cared about work. There was something clearly wrong with the boy and, even though she thought she should do something, she simply couldn't tear her eyes off him. That is, until he failed a jeté and almost cracked his head against the mirror.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11959257

2. Gliding on a Distant Edge.  During the summer, Lilia watches videos of Yuuri to understand who it is that recently beat Yuri, and discovers that he is a lovely skater. Watching more of his programs leads to reminiscing about the days she taught Victor, wondering what Minako Okukawa has been up to as of late, and a conversation with Yakov about how and why Victor left.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24300958

[lilyademirel]

SHE’S LYING TO HERSELF SAYING THIS DATE wasn’t that thing she thought most of the past couple of days. Besides the fact she hasn’t been on a date in years, purely because she was too busy and preoccupied with priority issues to even think about dates, the date is with a vampire. If you told Lilya three months ago this would happen, she’d laugh till her stomach hurt, saying this is the most absurd and insulting thing she’s ever heard. Yet, here she is, walking down the street to meet Cassius. She can spot him from a distance and it gets her a little more nervous the closer she gets there. What possessed her to agree to this, she has no idea. To be fair, she could’ve cancelled - she had a few days to do so, and she did think about it. But she didn’t do it and she doesn’t want to dwell on the why of it all.

“Lallement,” she greets, giving him a small smile - a rarity. Surely if you’re going on a date with someone you’d stop calling them by their last name, but it’s become a habit of sorts for her. This date marks a change in their dynamic, one she’s not ready to acknowledge. “It’s a first time someone arrives somewhere before I do,” she notes. She’s always been very punctual, and appreciates punctuality. She tries not to look at him too long. He’s too handsome. She shouldn’t even be thinking about that; it’s annoying. “I just ate actually. Does that ruin your plans?” She’s messing with him, waiting to see if he’ll catch her on it. She hasn’t ate. After all, he did tell her it’s a dinner plan. When she sees it’s a Turkish restaurant, she can’t help but smile, shaking her head. There’s something very amusing about how cliche Cassius Lallement is, and for some reason, it doesn’t bother her as much as she thought it would. She looks around the restaurant as she walks in, looking back at Cassius. “Yeah? I’ve heard about it, but I haven’t gotten the chance to try it out yet.” She never thought her first time would be with a vampire of all people. She moves to sit down. “Is it your first time trying Turkish food?” She moves to sit down, looking up at him. She’d bet it’s not, especially when he’s lived such a long time, which gives him ample time to try different things.

location :   the east village, manhattan

featuring :   @lilyademirel​​

HE’S WAITING FOR HER AT THE CROSS STREETS HE INSTRUCTED HER TO, purely so cassius wouldn’t give away where they were going. part of him missed the day when a man would pick up a woman for a date from her home, but he didn’t even offer that to lilya, assuming she was the progressive type that would find that strange. instead he arrives at the street early, the cold air of january no match for a vampire. cas didn’t think she’d stand him up, but he was aware that her agreeing to go out with him was a stroke of luck on his part—therefore, when she finally comes, a small smile blooms on his lips.   “ lilya, ”   he greets with a small nod, not sure if he should be hugging her instead, or some other alternative. typically first dates were reserved for strangers or someone he’s grown close with ;   somehow lilya stands in the middle of both, which makes everything a little more confusing. but it’s a GOOD kind of confusing, the nerves in his stomach easily mistaken for the excited anxiety that comes with a first day at a new job, or seeing someone important after a long wait.   “ i hope you’re hungry, ”   he adds as he starts to walk down the street, letting her fall into step with him. he had told her it was going to be dinner, after all.   “ i stumbled on this place a few years ago, so i hope you like it. you’ll have to tell me how it compares to the food back home. ”   holding the door open for her, cassius walks them into a small hole-in-the-wall turkish restaurant, where they’re seated by the window.   “ i was told it has the best turkish food in the city, ”   he tells her,   “ but i’ll let you be the judge of that. ”